Blade angling and tilting mechanism for bulldozers



April 28, 1953 B. L. PRYoR 2,636,289

BLADE ANGLING AND TILTING MECHANISM Foa BULLDozERs IN1/Enron. Sz/@70N L pero@ A ATTORNEY B. L. PRYOR April 28, 1953 BLADE ANGLING AND TILTING MECHANISM FOR BULLDOZERS 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Oct, 20. 1949 5a/@mkv L P/e me BY A 477UE/YEV B. L. PRYOR April 28, 1953 BLADE NGLING AND TILTING MECHANISM FOR BULLDOZERS med oct. A20. 194s 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 INVENTOR.

WAUW/YE? Patented Apr. 28,l 1953 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE BLADE ANGLING AND TILTING MECHANISM FOR BULLDOZERS 3 Claims.

This invention relates to a bulldozer blade attachment for tractors and has for its principal object the provision of a complete unitary structure which can be quickly and easily applied to a tractor of the fCaterpillar type to support a bulldozer blade ahead of the tractor and to provide means whereby the horizontal angle and vertical incline of the blade can be adjusted by the driver for the work to be done without it being necessary to leave the drivers seat.

Other objects and advantages reside in the detail construction of the invention, which is designed for simplicity, economy, and eiciency. These will become more apparent from the following description.

In the following detailed description of the invention reference is had to the accompanying drawing which forms a part hereof. Like numerals refer to like parts in all views of the drawing and throughout the description.

In the drawing:

Fig. l is a side view of a typical tractor of the Caterpillar type illustrating the invention in place thereon;

Fig. 2 is a plan View of the improved bulldozer attachment;

Fig. 3 is a longitudinalvertical section, taken on the line 3 3, Fig. 2; y

Fig. 4 `is a detail cross-section, taken on the line 4 4, Fig. 2;

Fig. 5 is a similar, enlarged section, taken on the line 5 5, Fig. 2;

Fig. 6 is a detail view illustrating a type of cross head employed in the improved attachment;

Fig. 7 is a fragmentary, detail, top view of a portion of the frame member employed in the attachment; and

Figs. 8, 9 and 10 are diagrammatic from views of the improved attachment.'

In the drawing, a typical tractor of the Caterpillar type is indicated at II), with its rear implement mounting studs at I I.

The improved bulldozer attachment mounts upon the studs I I and comprises a tubular, horizontally positioned, lll-'shaped frame I2 of a size to extend alongboth'sides of the tractor and across the front thereof." The rear extremities of the legs of the frame I2 terminate in socket castings I3 provided with mounting ears I4 having bearing openings I5 for receiving the studs I I.

A ller block IB is placed in the tubular frame I2 at its forward apex, and a mounting stud I'I extends through the frame I2 and through the block I 6 for mounting a dozer blade I8. The forward extremity of the stud Il terminates in a bearing ball I 3 which is engaged by a ball socket member 20 and a ball cap 2I secured to the blade I3 by means of suitable attachment bolts 22.

It will be noted that this method of attachment allows the blade I8 to tilt in every direction. The blade I8 is braced at its .extremities by means of U-shaped brace frames 23. The spread portions of the brace frames are mounted at their. forward extremities upon vertically aligned hinge bolts 24 extending betveen ears '25 formed on the blade I3. The axes of the bolts 24 are at right angles to the longitudinal axis of the blade.

The rear extremities ofthe brace frames 23 terminated in ball sockets closed by means of ball socket caos 2G held in place by suitable cap screws 21. The ball sockets of the brace frames 23 engage joint balls 23 formed on and proiecting from sliding sleeves 29, therebeing one of the sleeves 29 slidably mounted on each side leg of the U- shaped frame I2. y Y

y A cross-headmember 3B extends diametrically across each sleeve 29 and is secured in the latter by means of terminal attachment screws 3 I. The cross-heads 3B extend through inclined guide slots 32 inthe tubular frame member I2 and are provided with rollers 44 which contact the sides of the slots 32 to reduce the friction thereagainst'. Spacing sleeves 45 are Vpositioned between the rollers 44 and the heads of the screws 3l. It will be noted that, due to the incline of the slots 32, the sleeves 29 will be rotated when thev are reciprocated along -the frame members I2.

A piston rod 33 is mounted in each cross-head 3B and extends rearwardly to a piston 34 by means of a piston rod clan'lp 46. The ristons 34 are slidably mounted in hydraulic cylinders 35 which are fitted and secured in the rear extremities of the legs of the frame I2 in any desired manner.

A hydraulic conduit 36 communicates between the rearward extremities of the two cylinders 35. The conduit 3'6 preferably extends into the hollow frame I2 forwardly of each cylinder 35, and thence around the frame through the filler block I6 to the opposite side thereof. The flow through the conduit 3S is controlled by means of control valves 31 from which flexible control wires 38 extend through flexible tubes 39 to a control handle 43, which may be mounted at any position convenient to the operator of the tractor Ill.

The forward extremity of the frame I2 is conventionally supported, such as upon a block and tackle arrangement 4I extending from a suitable support 42 on the tractor l0 to sheave wheels 43 mounted on a mounting sleeve 41 surrounding the apex of the frame 36.

In road grading operations, it is desirable to have the dozer blade incline downwardly toward the leading extremity of the blade so as to convey the dirt outwardly and downwardly to one side of the tractor. This improved dozer blade attachment automatically accomplishes this result, for when the left-hand extremity of the blade is moved rearwardly, both sleeves 28 will be rotated toward the right. This causes the left-hand ball 28 to move upwardly, and the right-hand ball to move downwardly, carrying the frames 23 with them. Since these frames cannot vertically pivot on the blade i8, they will carry the right-hand extremity of the blade downwardly and lift the left-hand extremity thereof, as shown in Fig. 9. When the righthand extremity of the blade is forced rearwardly, the reverse will be true, that is, the sleeves will rotate to the left so as to tilt the blade downwardly to the left, as shown in Fig. I0. When the blade is at right angles to the axis of the tracts the cross heads will be at an intermediate position in the slots so that the blade will be horizontal, as shown in Fig. 8.

When the valves 21 are closed, the hydraulic fluid in the cylinders 35 and the conduit 36 rigidly holds the blade at any preset angle. The angle is varied by opening the valves 2l and forcing; either extremity of the blade against a bank or abutment by driving the tractor forwardly. This transfers fluid between the cylinders 35 until the desired angle is attained. The valves 3'1 are then closed and this angle: will be rigidly maintained` The angle of the blade could be changed hydraulically by placing a pressure pump in circuit with the conduit 35 is desired.

While a specific form of the improvement; has' been described and illustrated herein, itis to be understood that. the same may be varied, within the scope of the appended claims. without departing from the spiritv of the invention.

Having thus ldescribed the invention, what is claimed and desired secured by Letters Patent is:

l. A dozer blade attachment for a tractor comprising: a horizontal, U-shaped, tubular frame forming two legs adapted to extend on opposite sides of said tractor and a forward portion adapted' to extend across the front of a tractor; means on the rearward extremities of the legs of said frame for hingedly mountingthe latter to a tractor; means for supporting the forward -portion ofr said frame from said tractor; a. dozer blade extending tran-sversallyy of and forwardly of said' frame; a universal joint substantially at the middle of said dozer blade mounting the latter to the middle of the forward portion of said frame; sliding sleeves surrounding the legs of said frame; a brace member extending from each sleeve to the adjacent extremity of said blade; a hydraulicy cylinder mounted in each leg of said frame. adjacent, its rearward extremity; a piston in each cylinder; means connecting each piston with one of said sliding sleeves; means. for supplying hydraulic fluid to said cylinders; and

4 means for simultaneously rotating said sleeves as they reciprocate so as to automatically tilt said blade at a vertical angle when its horizontal angle is varied.

2. A dozer blade attachment for a tractor comprising: a horizontal, U-shaped, tubular frame forming two legs adapted to extend on opposite sides of said tractor and a forward portion adapted to extend across the front of a tractor; means on the rearward extremities of the legs of said frame for hingedly mounting the latter to a tractor; means for supporting the forward portion of said frame from said tractor; a dozer blade extending transversally of and forwardly of said frame; a universal joint substantially at the middle of said dozer blade mounting the latter to the middle of the forward portion of said frame; sliding sleeves surrounding the legs of said frame; a brace member extending from each sleeve to the adjacent extremity of said blade; a hydraulic cylinder mounted in each leg of said frame adjacent its rearward extremity; a piston in each cylinder; means connecting each piston with one of said sliding sleeves; means for supplying hydraulic fluid to said cylinders; hinge means mounting said brace members to said blade, the axes of said hingemeans being such that said blade may swing in the planes of said brace members but is prevented from swinging transversally thereof; and means for rotating said sleeves simultaneously with the reciprocation. thereof.

3. A dozer bla-de attachment for a tractor comprising:l a horizontal, U-shaped, tubular frame forming two legs adapted to extend on opposite sides of said tractor and a forward portion adapted to extend across ther front of a tractor; means on the rearward extremities of the legs of said frame for hingedly mounting the latter to a tractor; means for supporting the forward portion of said frame from said tractor; a dozer blade extending transversally of and forwardly of said frame; a universal joint substantially at the middle of said dozer blade mounting the latter to the middle of the forward portion of said frame; sliding sleeves surrounding the legsof said frame; a brace member extending from each sleeve to the adjacent extremity of said blade; cross-heads extending diametrically across said sleeves and through spirally inclined slots in the legs of said frame so that as said sleeves move longitudinally, they will be simultaneously rotated; a pist-onrod extending from each cross-head; a piston on each piston rod; hydraulic cylinders in the rearward extremities of the legs of said frame slidably receiving said pistons.; a hydraulic conduit extending from one cylinder tothe other to transfer hydraulic fluid therebetween; and a valve controlling the flow of fluid through saidv conduit.

BURTON LEROY PRYOR.

References Cited in the file of this. patent UNITED STATES' PATENTS Number Name Date Re. 21,447 Allin May 7, 1940 2,075,482 Thorpe Mar. 30, 1937 2,136,551 Knapp Nov. 15, 1938 2,173,158 Corbett Sept. 19, 1939 

